Power can opener



Jan. 17, 1961 H. sAcHs POWER CAN OPENER Filed April 21, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 1 i5 50 FG. 6.

F26. z. f/ 2*? INVENTo'R. #EA/2y '5464/5 Jan. 17, 1961 H. sAcHs 2,968,094

POWER CAN OPENER Filed April 21, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 2 M6. JJ,

92 72 FIG.

1 50 INVENTOR.

50 BY r6 United States Patent (Y)Va 2,968,094 POWER CANV OPENER f Henry Sachs, 866 SIWo'oster, Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Apr. 21,1958; sen-Nunavut) 4 Claims. (cl.f3o;4)"i

Thisf'invention zrelates'rfto-` arriiniprovedffpower'aetuated can opener: f

Itais'anobject-foffthis invention to providezamotor driven can-opener which vvillsevervthe` lid-offa/beaded'- can of any configuration or size. A

It is a further object of this invention to provide such an openenwherein maximum contact between cutter and the can is obtained, permitting severing adjacent the side wall of the can andf'avoiding jagged edges.

Itisfa further, object, of thisinvent-ionto provideimeans for-'maintaining ,the can .in proper alignment during. cutting.;

Other: objectsv and advantages.Y willabe/` readily apparent from the .following description:

InA the, drawings Figure! l isa side elevation in. sectionV of the opener.

Figure 2 is a View taken along line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the opener.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the cutting action.

Figure 5 is a view taken along line 5 5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view taken along line 6 6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a view taken along line 7 7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a view taken along line 8 8 of Figu-re 3.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the opener pivoted to the can inserting position.

Figure l() is a view taken along line 10 10 of Figure 3.

Figure ll is a view taken along line 11 11 of Figure l.

Figure 12 is a view taken along line 12--12 of Figure 3.

A base 20 is mounted upon four legs 22 and has bolted thereto two upright plates 24 and 26. A housing 28 encloses base 22 and plates 24 and 26. The housing is preferably of suitable plastic or the like and encloses the mechanism except for the actual cutting device, generally designated at 30, which will hereinafter be described in detail.

A suitable electric motor 32 is housed between plate 24 and housing 28 which, by means of a conventional plug and cord, is connected to a source of electric power. A switch 34 cutting motor 32 on or ois mounted upon plate 24 and is spring biased to an open position and closed by pivoting of arm 36 (see Figure l1) mounted upon shaft 38, upon which operating lever 40 is mounted. Shaft 38 is rotatably suppo-rted in plates 24 and 26 and pivoting of lever 40 rotates same and hence arm 36.

The driven shaft 42 of motor 32 passes through a suitable opening in plate 24 and drives shaft 44 through a suitable gear train at the desired speed. All of the gears and their respective shafts are rotatably mounted between plates 24 and 26 with the first gear on the driven shaft 42 and last gear on shaft 44. Shaft 44 passes through plate 26 and has mounted on its extremity, drive wheel 48 having the conventional ratchet teeth on its periphery.

Pivotally mounted outside housing 28 is a plate 50 by 2,968,094 Patented -J an.` 7, l

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means of pin 52:;(see FigurefSl). The pinhasfa@ nona circular extremtys54 which'projectsthrough ausimilarly,A` shaped hole in plate 24. Pin 52 has iixed two washers 56 and 58 thereon, one on either side of plate 26. Washer. 56 forms a seat for spring 60 which bear'sragainstf. plate 26,- urging the pin to withdraw linsidez-housing1f28 while washer 58 limits withdrawal.

A left threaded screw 61clarnps plate 50 to'pinl52 sothat'the plate 50 may move Vaway from plate r'36.

Plate 50 'has ahole 62 therein 'throughv` which' shaft" 44 projects tmountingwheel 48 in` front ofplate 50; On the opposite side'of hole 62, plate50 has faslot64- formedntherein. A screw 66 .havinganiz enlarged head prfoje'ctsthiroughf1slotf647and fasten's'ii'nto lever'40. Leven 40' has iav circularf portion '68 :whichencircles the "extremity: offshaft 38and'isrigidly'secured thereto..` A` curved segment .70 Yofthe'` leverfproj'ect's outwardly and` joins' the handle? portion' '72.

As lever l40=is pi'votedgsc'rewv 66 rotates `aboutthe axes` ofshaft and' movesin-slotl64; When 'th'ehandle72 isl substantiallyv vertical, plate 50 'islpivoted upwardly, as seen infFigure 39 fandthe' cutter I'74; mounted on the plate 50,' is moved away `from wheel 48," permitting acari to 'be inserted between same.

When the 'handle 'ispivoted fto i its other Iextreme .approaching-horizontal, .the` cutter 74 is at'y its lowermost position adjacent wheel` 48,'1l The switch 34 is adjusted.' to'olose" at thev terminal-point'of pivoting whenfscrew's66 reachedlthe extremityfof 'slot *64,l actuating whee'l '48 `"only when binfthisfpositionzf: Theshape of slot! 64 isfanopenf V with the length thereof determining the arc of pivoting of handle 72 and the apex 76 and angle of the slot on either side thereof determining the speed of pivoting of vplate 50. By varying the angularity, the mechanical advantage can be controlled. It is desirable to provide maximum mechanical advantage when the cutter pierces the can, that is, during the last 30 of arc of travel of the handle.

After a can of the type usually utilized for packaging foods and the like is inserted between wheel 48 and cutter 74 and the latter has pierced the top of the can. The can is positioned by a pair of springs 75 and 77. The motion of the cutter as same yapproaches the wheel is substantially vertical, permitting the positioning springs to be positioned extremely close to same. Horizontal spring 75 bears downwardly against the bead of the can while vertical spring 77 bears against the side wall of the can, urging same into the cutter. This spring arrangement permits cutting of all types of beaded cans, irrespective of whether same are round or not and adapts the device to many sizes of cans.

The horizontal spring passes through a suitable hole 78 in plate 50 and is coiled around holder 80 and abuts stop 82. Vertical spring 77 its in housing 84 formed on plate 50 and is retained by pin 86.

The cutter 74 is secured to plate 50 by a screw 88 which screws into a protuberance 90. The cutter 74 is inclined at approximately twenty degrees to wheel 48, plus or minus two degrees, and has its cutting edge beveled approximately forty degrees; thus in cooperation with spring 77, the cutter will cut at precisely the junction of the Itop Iand side wall of the can, leaving no jagged edges.

A magnet 92 may be pivotally mounted upon plate 50 as illustrated in Figure 8, for example, to hold the top of the can when severed.

The serrated driving wheel 48 is driven counterclock- Wise, as viewed in Figure 9; that is, vertical spring 77 is in advance of the cutter, urging the can into the cutter while horizontal spr-ing is positioned at the discharge of the cutter and prevents the can from climbing out of alignment.

While what hereinbefore has been described is the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is readily apparent that alterations and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such alterations and modications are intended to be Vincluded within the scope of the appended claims.

l claim: i

1. A can opening device comprising, a frame, a power driven wheel supported on said frame, a plate pivotally mounted upon said frame, a cutter wheel carried upon said plate, a slot in said plate, a movable element supported by said frame projecting within said slot and movable to bring said cutter wheel into cutting relationship with said power wheel, a vertical spring and a horizontal spring mounted upon said plate immediately adjacent said cutter wheel for engaging the can being cut.

2. A can opening device comprising, a frame, a power driven wheel supported on said frame, a plate pivotally mounted upon said frame, a cutter wheel carried upon said plate, a slot in said plate, a movable element supported by said frame projecting within said slot and movable to bring said cutter wheel into cutting relationship with said power wheel, a vertical spring and a horizontal spring mounted upon said plate immediately adjacent said cutter wheel for engaging the can being cut, said power wheel being driven in a direction whereby said vertical spring is in advance of said horizontal spring adjacent 'the discharge of said cutter wheel.

3. A can opening device comprising, a frame, a power driven wheel supported on said frame, ya plate pivotally mountedupon said frame, a cutter wheel carried upon said plate, a slot in said plate, a movable element supported by said frame projecting within said slot and mov able to bring said cutter wheel into cutting relationship with said power wheel, a vertical spring and a horizontal spring mounted upon said plate immediately adjacent said cutter wheel for engaging the can being cut, said power wheel being driven in a direction whereby said vertical spring is in advance of said horizontal spring adjacent the discharge of said cutter wheel, said cutter wheel being inclined at substantially a twenty degree angle to said power wheel.

4. A can opening device comprising, a frame, a power driven wheel supported on said frame, a plate pivotally mounted upon said frame, a cutter wheel carried upon said plate, a slot in said plate, a movable element supported by said frame projecting within said slot and movable to bring said cutter wheel into cutting relationship with said power wheel, a vertical spring and a horizontal spring mounted upon said plate immediately adjacent said cutter wheel for engaging the can being cut, said power wheel being driven in a direction whereby said vertical spring is in advance of said horizontal spring adjacent the discharge of said cutter wheel, said cutter wheel being inclined at substantially a twenty degree angle to said power wheel, and having a substantially forty degree bevel on its cutting edge.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,939,349 Holman Dec. 12, 1933 2,595,162 Nessler Apr. 29, 1952 2,643,451 McLean June 30, 1953 2,648,897 McLean Aug. 18, 1953 2,703,448 Balson Mar. 8, 1955 2,824,366 Sarl Feb. 25, 1958 2,883,745 Bristol Apr. 28, 1959 

